Recursive Role Reversal
by SlightlyOffKey
Summary: This is a few weeks after The 43 Peculiarity. Penny makes an unplanned visit to Leonard's lab. Things get interesting when he's not there. I guess this is my idea of being on hiatus for a while. Something pops in my head so I wrote it, enjoy, SOK Okay one more chapter to tie episode 8 and 9 together.
1. Double Standards

**Recursive Role Reversal**

**A little ditty about Lenny and Penny without a tasty freeze but perhaps a shady lab or a targas.**

**Caltech late Thursday afternoon**

Penny poked her head into Leonard's lab. The lights were off though a distinct whirring sound was being produced by one of the boxes on the work bench. She pulled her black sweater a little closer around her, the sweater coming down over her bright blue pants and red top peeking out.

"Leonard, are you in here?"

No reply was heard. Penny looked at her watch, it was 3:30. Maybe he was in the cafeteria. Penny turned and headed that direction.

She reached the open doors to the cafeteria and looked in. Leonard was at the table in his green jacket and black stripped white hoody with a cup of coffee in his hand. He had his back to the door. Across from him was Alex in a pink blouse and jeans. Leonard was talking.

"So then Sheldon jumps further into the ball room and won't come out. He keeps jumping up and yelling bazinga it took me an hour to get him out of there. That's how Loony Tunes your boss can be."

Penny watched as Alex smiled back at him brightly. She watched as Alex reached over and patted Leonard on the arm.

"You're so funny Leonard. Dr. Cooper is really hard to work for. He can be condescending, overbearing and snobby but it's been worth it to get to know you."

Alex looked embarrassed for a moment then looked down, "and the other professors."

"You forgot neurotic and crazy. Do you feel like you're learning anything from him?"

Alex laughed, "I think how not to treat my subordinates and colleagues. He does have some fascinating papers in his early work but it's mostly just how amazing that the work could come from somebody so young. I haven't come across anything earth shattering."

She continued to smile at Leonard as he took a sip of his coffee.

Penny walked into the cafeteria now. She had seen and heard enough.

Alex looked up and stopped smiling for a moment then a smile spread back onto her face. Penny smiled back thinking, "Caught you didn't I. I see your fake little smile there not like the one you were giving Leonard a minute ago as you were patting his arm and making eyes at him."

"Hey Alex, Hey sweetie I was looking for you in your lab."

Leonard looked up smiling at her, "What a nice surprise, I didn't know you were coming by today. I just needed a cup of coffee in the afternoon so I came down here."

Leonard pulled out the chair beside him, "Take a seat, can I get you something?"

Penny kept the smile on her face as she sat beside Leonard. She slid her hand onto the top of the table and wrapped his hand in hers, she leaned over and kissed him quickly.

"Thanks honey, I'll take a coffee"

Leonard got up and walked toward the cafeteria's buffet. Penny smiled until he was out of sight. Her face suddenly became very tense. Alex raised her eyebrows and pulled back as if she'd been struck.

Penny got a viscous grin on her face, "I guess my subtle hint the other day about not being able to work with Leonard wasn't clear enough. Leonard is my boyfriend and we've been together for a long time so keep your hands off him."

Alex stuttered to respond but nothing came out. Penny got the sweet smile back on her face, "Maybe it would be a good time for you to leave."

Alex stood shaking slightly leaving her cup on the table then walked out just as Leonard returned with a coffee for Penny.

He sat down and smiled at her as he set her cup on the table, "Where'd Alex get to? She's a very nice girl you should get to know her."

Penny took a sip of her coffee and smiled very sweetly back, "Oh she didn't say. Do you talk to her a lot?"

Leonard took another drink, "No, not really. I see her at lunch sometimes but she does tend to show up when I have my afternoon coffee. She must get that same afternoon fatigue I do."

Penny just nodded, "So after you have your coffee are you going to show me what you're working on?"

Leonard gave her a raised eyebrow and a leering grin, "I'd be glad to. It's pretty cool and I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it."

Penny smiled and put her hand on his arm, just where Alex's had been, "I'm sure you'll get a kick out of the new sexy bra and panties I got yesterday that I have on"

Leonard took a big drink of his coffee, "Let's go"

**Penny's apartment later that evening**

Penny sat across from Leonard at the table picking at the salad on her plate. Leonard was busily eating his looking up he saw her looking at him.

Leonard smiled, "The salad is good Penny what's the main course?"

Penny smiled, "I have chicken in the oven, shake and bake it should be done in a while, Leonard can I ask you something?"

Leonard had taken another bite and just nodded.

"Do you know that Alex is hitting on you?"

Leonard looked surprised, "Really, why would you think that?"

Penny put her fork down, "Because I watched her today when she was talking to you in the cafeteria. She pretty much came out and said as much. I don't think it's just a coincidence that she shows up in the cafeteria in the afternoon at the same time you do. She knows you'll be there."

Leonard looked at her with a piercing look. Penny blushed slightly.

"What did you say to her?"

Penny swallowed hard, "I told her you were my boyfriend and to keep her hands off you."

Penny stood and walked to the kitchen. Leonard rose and followed her. She turned around to face him expecting him to be angry.

Leonard looked into her face, "I guess the shoes on the other foot now. Penny, you're the one I'm with and you know I love you. You taught me something that day, it's not who hits on you. It's what you do about it. If you love me you'll stay true and so will I."

Penny swallowed a couple of more time and her chin began to tremble, "Leonard I know you love me and now you know I love you. I do know when guys are hitting on me most of the time. I need to tell you that you were right about Cole. Right after we did our oral report he started sexting me and really hitting on me."

Penny had tears running down her face. Leonard was close to tears as well.

"I knew it", Leonard managed to get out.

Penny swallowed hard, "Yeah, I didn't see it coming either. I handled it, he won't be around anymore."

Tears were running down Leonard's cheeks now as he wrapped Penny in a hug, "See you were right I had nothing to worry about and neither do you so we can both relax."

Penny sniffed and held on tight, "I love you Leonard, we have nothing to worry about."

Leonard had stopped crying and held her tight, "Well we kind of do, it's one thing to undercook spaghetti but if you did it to the chicken we'll both regret it."

**Something just for fun, but then again aren't they all.**

**SOK**


	2. The end of the story

**Broken Bridges**

**Friday Morning Penny's Bedroom**

Penny awoke her arm sweeping across the bed where Leonard should be. The spot is empty. She sat up in her pink camisole. Penny looks over at the clock beside her bed.

"Eight o'clock, it's still night time. Oh it's only Friday he has to work."

Penny lay back down snuggling into the spot where Leonard had been, "He hasn't been up long it's still warm, hmm"

Penny lay in Leonard's spot for several seconds before her eyes flew open. She started to get up.

**Leonard and Sheldon's Apartment**

Leonard fully dressed is sitting at his laptop sipping on his coffee when the door opens and Penny slips in dressed in her short pink robe and slippers.

"Hi, what are you doing up Penny?"

Leonard takes another sip of his coffee. He has on another new shirt. This one is purple with black horizontal strips across the chest. His purple hoody and tan jacket is on the chair behind him.

"Hey Leonard, I just wanted to see you before you went to work today. I wanted to warn you that things might be a little awkward with Alex today."

Leonard looks puzzled, "You didn't threaten her or anything right?"

Penny smirked, "Well not in so many words but I'm sure I got my point across. I'm just saying you might be prepared for a little different approach from her. She will either give you the cold shoulder or redouble her efforts to hit on you."

Leonard kept from smiling, "I'm sure I can handle Alex either way. She really is very nice, I'll try to repair the damage and remain friends."

Penny gave him a withering look, "Right, like you have any experience with the brush off. Remember you tried it on me once?"

Leonard got a concerned look on his face, "Oh yeah, well I guess I'll just have to do my best."

Penny continued to look unconvinced, "Just be firm if she is hitting on you Leonard."

Leonard got a wicked little grin, "Might be easier if you had said yes when I proposed?"

"It would have been easier if you had asked at an appropriate time remember what Raj said weak coffee."

Leonard chuckled, "Weak tea actually, you know you have nothing to worry about, right?"

Penny came over and wrapped her arms around him as he sat, "I know Leonard, and you know too. I'm just worried about you being uncomfortable and me causing it."

Leonard kissed her for a moment, "Nothing to worry about. What are you going to do today?"

Penny rolled her eyes, "Just hanging out this morning then I'm going to Bernadette's later to see the wedding album."

"Still want to go to the physics lecture tonight."

Penny smiled, "Oh I'm in but if I fall asleep don't wake me unless I start snoring."

"Deal"

Penny turned and left the apartment. Leonard looked up to see Sheldon enter the room wearing the iron man helmet.

Leonard shook his head, "You and Howard are still fighting I see."

Muffled by the helmet Sheldon answered, "Wait until he sees Amy's car parked in the space this morning with my name on it."

Leonard shook his head, "This will not end well."

**Caltech Cafeteria Friday Afternoon**

Leonard sat at the table by himself drinking his coffee. He nervously looked toward the buffet line. Alex came around the corner with a cup in her hand. She smiled at Leonard and approached the table.

"Hi Dr. Hoftstader"

Leonard smiled back, "Hi Alex, its still Leonard. Join me."

Alex looked around as if to see if Penny was lurking. She sat across from Leonard.

Leonard looked at her with a caring sympathetic face, "It's okay Alex, Penny told me she had a chat with you."

Alex raised her eyebrows in disbelief, "She scared me to death. The look on her face was malevolent Leonard. She didn't threaten me or anything but she was pretty clear."

Leonard nodded, "I wish I could say her bark is worse than her bite but I'd be lying. When Penny's mad or in a protective mode it can be pretty intense. But that said she's a wonderful person and I love her very much."

Alex nodded slowly. Leonard went on, "Were you really hitting on me or was Penny just over reacting?"

Alex blushed and looked down, "I was hitting on you. I kept wondering when you'd notice."

Leonard pouted and shook his head, "It figures, I guess I'm still pretty clueless when it comes to women sometimes."

Alex shook her head, "I don't think you're clueless Leonard, you're just horribly in love with your girlfriend. If you hadn't been in a relationship I think you would have noticed because then you would have been looking for someone. I didn't know that or I wouldn't have been testing the water."

Leonard nodded at that, "I would probably have been awkward and botched the whole thing actually. Well that's all out in the open, friends?"

Leonard offered his hand across the table. Alex took it in hers, "Friends."

**Leonard and Sheldon's Apartment early evening**

Leonard looked over at Sheldon sitting behind his desk. Iron man helmet still on as he worked on his laptop.

"Sheldon are you going to take that thing off soon?"

Sheldon shook his head in the helmet, "You get used to it after a while."

"I wonder what's keeping Penny we have to get going to the lecture pretty soon."

His phone suddenly rang. His ring tone of Shania Twain's Man, I feel like a Woman telling him it was Penny. He quickly answered, "Hey Penny, where are you at?"

"What, are you alright? What hospital. I'll be right down. Oh so you're leaving now and Bernadette will bring you home. I'll meet you when you get here. No I don't care what you look like I'll be downstairs."

Leonard hung up the call. He stood up and walked over to Sheldon then pulled the helmet off his head. Sheldon began to protest.

"Sheldon this whole thing about the parking spot has got to end. Find a way, Amy tried to hit Bernadette with her purse tonight. She missed and hit Penny in the face and broke her nose. Find a way to end this where everybody saves face or so help me I'll call your mother."

Leonard turned and stalked out of the apartment.

Sheldon's face was anxious and slightly terrified.

**Penny's Apartment**

Leonard sat Penny down on the couch. Her nose had a bandage across it. Both her eyes were black and blue. Leonard looked at her concerned.

"I'll get an ice pack"

Penny just sat back in a snuffed up voice replied, "Thanks honey, sorry we missed the lecture."

The three quick knocks on the door made Leonard look up. He didn't wait for Sheldon to finish and opened the door as Sheldon uttered, "Leonard and"

"Just come in and apologize to Penny Sheldon you can knock six more times on the way out."

Sheldon looked at the door unsure if he should knock again or come in. He came into the apartment with a mug in his hand. He walked to the couch and handed it Penny.

"I'm sorry Amy hit you Penny, here's some hot chocolate."

Sheldon sat down next to Penny. Leonard was about to speak when Sheldon started, "Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur."

**Okay that's it all she wrote, or actually he wrote for this small little fiction to join episode 8 and episode 9. Hope you enjoyed it. I had blast. Now back to Hiatus and a little reading time.**

**SOK**


End file.
